The present invention relates to locking devices for vehicle storage containers. More particularly, the invention involves a centralized locking arrangement utilizable on motorcycles, or the like, for selectively locking and unlocking plural storage containers, such as a trunk container and side containers spaced from said trunk containers.
In motorcycles of large size there is commonly provided a trunk container or bag in a central upper portion of the rear of the vehicle body and saddle bags at left and right sides of the trunk bag. In the prior art, locking mechanisms are provided on each respective bag in order to secure the access to each. Such lock mechanisms generally provide an independent key cylinder device for each of the bags, the locking and unlocking, accordingly, being performed by inserting a key individually into each of the key cylinder devices.
In the described prior art trunk bag and saddle bag arrangements, each of the locking mechanisms necessitates locking and unlocking each bag separately. Moreover, as is usual, in order to reduce the number of required keys, the same key is capable of operating each separate locking mechanism. Also, the key used for unlocking the bags is the same key used for the main electrical system switch of the vehicle.
Consequently, in view of the above, such bag locking arrangements that require the separate locking or unlocking of each lock mechanism and that, further, employ the vehicle ignition key for this purpose, create the problem that the engine must be stopped each time it is desired to gain access to the interior of one or more of the bags.
It is to the amelioration of this problem, therefore, that the present invention is directed.